


Sandbox Love

by spooked_sapphic



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Best Friends, Childhood Friends, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Gaang (Avatar), Implied Relationships, Implied Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), M/M, Mutual Pining, True Love, mlm, wlw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:47:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26325859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spooked_sapphic/pseuds/spooked_sapphic
Summary: Mai knew it was foolish to fall for Ty Lee. Ty Lee was the girl who wore her heart on her sleeve, trusting and kind. Mai was distant and cold, the two girls were so different, yet Mai a glimpse of Ty Lee's happy-go-lucky nature was enough to keep her alive, enough to keep her wanting more, enough to make her want to be selfish. It was even more foolish of her to fall in love with her first friend.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Mai/Ty Lee (Avatar), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar)
Kudos: 6





	1. Red Cup

**Author's Note:**

> ill try to update the book as fast as i can, i hope you enjoy this!

If you asked Mai what her favorite memory in kindergarten was, she would never admit that it would be the first day of kindergarten. The day she met Ty lee. Not even nap time or story time could compare to the moment she met her best friend, her first friend. 

The faint pink shade of Ty Lee's cheeks was Mai's favorite color back then. To Mai, she looked like a baby angel with her sweet face, chubby cheeks, and genuine smile. She loved the way Ty Lee's hair was a messy mop unlike Mai's, she hated how she had to be the 'perfect' daughter for her father and mother.   
  
"What are you doing?" Mai asked, taking a step forward. 

"Just digging," Ty Lee said excitedly. "To find treasure." 

Mai nodded, "We'll do it together." 

———

Mai was unaware when she had fallen in love with Ty Lee. Only that she had fallen, fallen so very deep that she needed to keep her emotions in check or it'll burst out-of-nowhere like a volcano. Perhaps it all started when Mai's tender crush in kindergarten. Maybe it was the long conversations while watching the sunrise on top of her roof whenever they couldn't sleep. 

Ty Lee's laughter was loud and sweet in the Cafeteria that everyone who overheard her didn't mind or told her to shut up for being 'too loud'. Partly because they were afraid of Azula and Mai for various reasons, but it was mostly because everyone loved Ty Lee, no one, not even the teachers wanted to dull her sparkle. 

Mai believed that it's kind of cheating that she gets to experience Ty Lee in full color when so many people don't. Whenever the two were alone, Ty Lee would talk about what she was passionate about. Mai wouldn't tell you that whenever Ty Lee talked about her favorite topics, she would have that sparkle in her silver eyes. And when Ty Lee asked if she was talking too much or being annoying. Mai wouldn't admit to anyone that she would shake her head with a smile, telling Ty Lee that she liked it whenever she talked about what she loved. 

She finally snapped from her daydreaming when her Aang slightly moved her hair to her shoulders with his airbending. She turned her head to look at him and he points at their Art teacher, who was going to talking about their latest project. 

"—challenge yourself to determine what makes an artist." 

That sentence alone sounded like a challenge to the most cynical student. 

"You may pick a human subject, but—" The teacher emphasized the word 'but', making sure that his students would remember this. "—I don't want to see figure drawings of this person. I want to see what you think whenever you see them."

Mai kept that in mind. This project wasn't going to be hard considering that she already thought of her subject on a daily basis and she looked over to Aang who was already gleaming with joy, she was sure that he was thinking of Katara. 

'How cute,' she thought. Mai wondered if this was how Ty Lee felt towards her, the two were similar and whenever they were in the same room together, it would be entertaining. The two were just the life of the party.

Mai thought about how she could sketch Ty Lee. 

The girl was crazy talented, not only was Ty Lee flexible because of the gymnastics lessons she got as a child, but Ty Lee could also dance like because she took ballerina lessons. You would be a fool to think that Ty Lee was a klutz. Sure, she was forgetful and had a short attention span, but she was far from being a klutz. One of the things that Mai loved about her was that Ty Lee participated in the circus for a couple of weeks before Azula convinced her to quit. 

Ty Lee was a free-spirit. 

Once the bell rang, she waited for Ty Lee outside of her final class period. Ty Lee jumped when she saw her best friend and kissed her cheek giggling. "Hi, I missed you!" 

This girl was planning on killing her all right. 

"I missed you too," She said, clearing her throat. "Do you need help with your bag?" Mai asked, pointing at Ty Lee's gym bag and the brunette shook her head.

Ty Lee walked slightly faster than Mai, in order to be in front of Mai. "Hey, so I was wondering if we could go to Toph's party? I heard she was throwing one since her parents were going on a cruise." Ty Lee smiled at Mai, hoping that Mai would say yes. 

"Can't. Got parents to please, you know me. Mai the people pleaser." She deadpanned.

"Please? Pretty please?" Ty Lee asked once again, but this time she said it with a softer tone, giving Mai her best puppy eyes. 

Mai rolled her eyes. "You know that's unfair." 

Ty Lee smiled up at her. "I know..." She trailed off stepping in closer to Mai. "So, are you going with me as my fake date or not? I really don't want to get asked out by Haru." 

"I thought you liked Haru?" Mai asked, hoping that the fake concern in her voice sounded real as she took the pins off of her rich black hair. "Did something happen between you two?" 

"Um, I just realized that I like someone else." 

"Who?" 

"You'll meet them at the party." Ty Lee smiles mischievously. 

Mai rolled her dark eyes, placing her hairpins away. "Fine. Only because I need to make sure they're perfect for you." 

"Hmm, how protective." Ty Lee said fondly. 

———

Once Mai knocked on Ty Lee's door, one of her sisters opened it cheerfully, but her tone was insincere, too high-pitched, too squeaky, her sisters were cheerful but it wasn't the way Ty Lee was. Their emotions eighty percent of the time were fake, almost like they built concrete walls to cover up their feelings. A tower to look down on peasants like Ty Lee who was desperate for their affection, for them to open up and be honest about their emotions, talk about their problems like a functional human being. 

They reminded her of herself. 

She cringed at the thought. Nah, they were too mean to Ty Lee, always putting her down just to stroke their gigantic egos. 

Mai closes the white door, full of doodles behind her. "Are you ready yet princess?" She said sarcastically. 

"Almost! Can you help me with the zipper?" Ty Lee shouted from her dressing room divider that was full of sakura petals. 

Mai sighed, "Sure." 

She couldn't help but pick up her jaw that was on the floor. Spirits, Ty Lee was beautiful. Mai already knew that Ty Lee was beautiful, but wow. Just wow. She knew the party was going to be extra, it was Toph they were talking about. The girl may be blind, but she knew how to throw a party. Ty Lee was wearing a long, soft pink dress that had a deep v-neck, it was frilly at the bottom and showed off her small waist. 

"Are you going to just look at me or are you zip me up?" 

"So impatient." 

Ty Lee sat quietly, applying her peachy lipstick on. Once she heard Mai said "Done." she turned to Mai and asked if she needed to reapply her black lipstick and she shook her head. "Let's just go, Azula's going to be pissed if we're late." 

Ty Lee hummed in agreement. 

Once the two were on Mai drove to Toph's place on her motorcycle, Ty Lee held on, tightly, causing Mai to blush intensely. She thanked the spirits that Ty Lee was burying her face on Mai's back or else, she would've seen from her side mirrors how red she was. 

The two finally arrived at Toph's house. Azula tapping her foot impatiently, Zuko rolling his eyes and crossing his arms, tired from Azula's outburst about how it's weird that a few boys in the school didn't know her. It was normal for siblings to not get along with each other, but it was different when it came to the fire siblings. Maybe it was because of the Firelord being a prick.

Even from the outside, the music was loud. Blasting it like there was no tomorrow, Mai was going to get a headache. Mai wanted to quickly leave and drive off to a park somewhere else, maybe head to a fire ferret cafe with Ty Lee. 

"What took you guys so long?" Azula asked, wearing a mixture of disgust and anger on her face. "Whatever, let's just go inside." 

The music was even louder inside. 

The whole place was packed with kids, everyone was basically a drunk toddler. Hopeless and annoying. 

Good thing that Toph had great taste in music or Mai would've just grabbed Ty Lee's hand to hold it and bolted out of the door. She scanned the place and spotted Haru, he was a nice guy, but she disliked being him being around Ty Lee, he was too touchy — too comfortable with her. 

Before she knew it, Azula was already chugging a bottle of beer called 'Cactus Juice' in a circle to where a group of people kept chanting, "Chug! Chug! Chug!" while Zuko was talking to Sokka on a couch while eating moon peaches, slowly leaning in closer to kiss. 

Mai looked down at Ty Lee, who was giving her the cutest puppy eyes. "Hey, can you grab me a drink?" 

"Pink lemonade?" 

"Yes, please!" 

Once she was separated from Ty Lee, Haru walked up to Ty Lee with a smile on his face. Mai mentally rolled her eyes as she held two cups of pink lemonade, Toph didn't have her favorite drink, so she might as well. Haru may be a decent guy, but Mai knew that Ty Lee deserved better than him. 

Thankfully, Haru gets a little jealous over Mai's power over Ty Lee. It made sense — after all, what's a high school boy toy compared to a childhood best friend? 

Sandbox love never dies. 

No matter how hard he tries, Ty Lee would always come back to Mai. 

"So, what are you guys talking about?" Mai asked, holding two cups and Ty Lee made desperate eye contact with her, Mai sneaks over, passing the cups off to Haru, and pushed through him to sling her arm over Ty Lee's shoulder. 


	2. oops

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> IM SO SORRY

okay so, i forgot about this book and account so i lied about updates :) 

im probably just gonna write on this acc until something something :)) 

i really am sorry i just dont have the energy to balance school, my relationship and friendships while writing?? so im probably going to write during breaks or summer vacation, see you when i do

**Author's Note:**

> dont forget to drink water and get a snack  
> thank you for reading this fic <3


End file.
